Archaeological Watching Brief with Option to Excavate at Test Park Community Sports Facility, Lower Brownhill Road, Southampton.

The project was an archaeological watching brief carried out on the construction of a new sports facility at Lower Brownhills Road, Southampton for Southampton Solent University. The natural was gravel overlain by brickearth. The aims of the investigation as defined in the written scheme of investigation were 'principally to determine the presence or absence of human use of the area, and the date, type, state of preservation, and extent of that use; to recover associated objects; and to record such evidence as does survive. In addition the nature, dimensions, and relationship of natural deposits will be noted and recorded' A total of 62 trenches were dug. Prehistoric activity was marked by three ditches, four pits and one posthole. Dating evidence was limited and some of the ditches were probably still functioning into the Roman period. Late Saxon activity was marked by one pit/posthole and four sherds from the subsoil. Medieval activity was marked by a pit and a posthole. Post-Medieval activity was marked by seven ditches, one pit and a posthole. The ditches are earlier than the field divisions shown on the mid-19th century tithe map and presumably pre-date the enclosure of the area.

本项目为南安普敦索伦特大学（Southampton Solent University）在南安普顿下布朗希尔路（Lower Brownhills Road）新建体育设施时开展的考古监护性调查（archaeological watching brief）。场地原生地层为砾石，其上覆盖有砖土层（brickearth）。本次调查的目标在书面调查方案中明确为：首要任务为确定该区域是否存在人类活动痕迹，并明确此类活动的年代、类型、保存状态与分布范围；采集相关出土遗物；并对现存的相关考古证据进行记录。此外，还需记录、描述自然沉积物的性质、尺寸及其相互关系。本次调查共挖掘62个探沟。史前人类活动遗迹以3条沟壕、4座灰坑及1个柱洞为代表。年代测定证据较为有限，其中部分沟壕的使用年代可能延续至罗马时期。晚期撒克逊时期的活动遗迹以1座灰坑/柱洞及4件出土于底土层的陶片为代表。中世纪时期的活动遗迹以1座灰坑及1个柱洞为代表。后中世纪时期的活动遗迹以7条沟壕、1座灰坑及1个柱洞为代表。这些沟壕的年代早于19世纪中期什一税地图上标注的田界，且其修建时间大概率早于该区域的圈地活动。